The Silverstone Festival signed off in spectacular fashion on Sunday, closing its 35th anniversary edition with three days of packed grids, headline entertainment and a historic display honouring 75 years of Formula 1. What began in 1990 as the Christie’s BRDC Historic Festival has grown, under Nick Wigley’s stewardship, into the largest celebration of historic motorsport in the world. This year’s finale proved one of its strongest, with 100,000-plus spectators treated to a feast of retro racing and off-track attractions.
From 2026, CarFest will be moving to Silverstone in place of the Festival on 27-30 August 2026, but fear not: Silverstone has confirmed that more motorsport-focused Silverstone Classic is set to return alongside CarFest – with further details and dates set to be announced soon.
Friday’s qualifying sessions gave way to 20 races across the weekend, ranging from pre-war Grand Prix machinery to GT3 endurance cars of the 2010s. A world-record entry of nearly 60 post-war 500cc F3 cars underlined the event’s enduring appeal, with a full 54-car grid taking the start on Sunday. Jan Magnussen caused a stir with pole position in a Turner GT for the RAC Historic Tourist Trophy, while the return of Group C prototypes saw Thierry Boutsen and Stefan Johansson share the track.
Saturday produced some of the closest racing of the weekend. Sam Wilson narrowly claimed Formula Junior honours in his Cooper T59, and Andrew Smith triumphed in the Stirling Moss Trophy after Johnny Mowlem’s Lotus XV faltered late on. Michael Lyons dominated the Derek Bell Trophy in his 1975 Lola T400, while Danny Winstanley took GT3 Legends glory in an Audi R8 LMS. The Masters Racing Legends for 1966-85 Formula 1 cars saw Porsche racer Tom Bradshaw taking victory on his historic F1 debut in a McLaren MP4/1. Later, Max Chilton’s Zytek 04S was outperformed by Steve Brooks’ Peugeot 908 in the Masters Endurance Legends, and the Transatlantic Touring Car Trophy ended in a Mustang three-way photo finish.
Sunday saw Bradshaw and Brooks repeating their wins, as did Will Nuthall in his Cooper T53. The Tourist Trophy produced one of the most engaging contests of the Festival, as Michael Gans’ Lotus Elite hounded the Pearson brothers’ Jaguar E-type – only for Davide Hart’s Ferrari 250 SWB to close in late. In the end, the Pearsons held on, adding another historic Silverstone victory to their tally. Michael Lyons doubled up in the Derek Bell Trophy, while the Masters GT Trophy was dominated by a pair of Lamborghini Gallardo GT3s.
Off track, the World Champions Collection stood as one of the most remarkable features in Silverstone Festival history. For the first time, cars from every one of Formula 1’s 34 World Champions were gathered together, from Giuseppe Farina’s 1950 Alfa Romeo 158 to Max Verstappen’s 2022 Red Bull RB18. More than two-thirds were the actual title-winning cars, creating a once-in-a-lifetime display in Silverstone’s International Paddock. The presentation, masterminded by Mark Constanduros, later received the Festival’s Scarf and Goggles Trophy.
The Festival’s family appeal was as strong as ever, with hundreds of car clubs filling the infield, a lively ‘Foodie Fest’ hosting guest chefs and Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat pop-up, plus music headliners Natasha Bedingfield, Craig David and Ministry of Sound Classical. Visitors of all ages packed the Fan Zone and parade laps raised funds for Race Against Dementia.
Awards closed the weekend on a high: Caterham and Lotus 7 Club took Car Club of the Show, while Steve Hartley’s McLaren MP4/1 was named the most admired racing car on track. And as Alex Brundle and Gary Pearson guided their Lola T70 to the final chequered flag, the curtain came down on 35 years of the Silverstone Festival – an event that has thrilled millions, set records and defined historic racing in Britain.
For more info, see silverstone.co.uk
